


Southern Lovin', California Dreamin'

by RueEmerson



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance, Spiritual
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:48:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29099070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RueEmerson/pseuds/RueEmerson
Summary: Slight AU. What if the good doctor had met someone on the maiden voyage? And what if the wounded captain had found love amidst disaster?
Relationships: Christopher Pike/Original Female Character, James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Christopher Pike, Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I originally wrote the Dr McCoy storyline in May 2013. As I’ve gotten older, my appreciation for Capt Pike has grown, so I penned his adjoining storyline in June 2018. As we’ve entered 2021 and I’ve repeatedly watched “Star Trek” (2009) to find my happy place, I’m finding myself wanting to merge the two and enhance portions of it with a bit more mature material so here you go.

Cadet Sarah Randolph knew she shouldn't stare but she couldn't help it. The man was so cranky, she had to smother laughing. The more she watched him in class or around campus, the more intrigued she became. He had a soft spot for his patients, but he seemed downright uncomfortable with people.

She had never spoken to him, but then again, why would she have reason to? Sure they sat near each other at the Academy, but she couldn't muster enough courage to introduce herself.

The good doctor was at least 15 years her senior and preferred the company of a bottle or that wily womanizer named Jim Kirk.

So when Sarah was assigned to the Enterprise, she couldn't believe it. She would be crossing his path for sure. After all, the ship's chaplain often worked closely with the ship's medical staff.

Sarah noted the commotion and made her way toward the bridge to see if she could be of assistance. Captain Christopher Pike was exiting the bridge with Commander Spock and fellow Cadet Kirk in tow.

She sensed all was not well and quickly said a prayer as she stepped onto the bridge. Before long, all hell broke loose.

* * *

Dr. Leonard McCoy was not happy.

Not that he was much happy these days anyway, but they were in a pickle and he knew Jim was involved. He always was.

The ship was under attack and entire units were being rushed to Medical Bay. There was trauma as far as the eye could see. It was all he could do not to curse; they were short-staffed and losing ground.

He wiped his forehead and tried to put the electrical fires out as nurses rushed around to aid in triage. Suddenly a young dark-haired beauty with bright green eyes appeared in front of him.

"Sir, tell me what I can do, where I can help," she said.

McCoy tried to place her; he was sure he'd seen her before. He tried not to growl at her in frustration as his comm buzzed.

Acting Captain Spock informed him he was the new Chief Medical Officer.

"Tell me something I don't know," he tartly replied and resumed watching the cadet whom he had waved into the sea of injuries. The situation was bad every way he turned.

* * *

Sarah did her best to comfort any and all patients she could. Some were going to fine while others teetered close to death.

She held hands, soothed foreheads, covered the dead and watered dry mouths. She tirelessly moved from person to person without a thought to the passing hours. She barely looked up as she tried to give her undivided attention to each crewmember.

This is what she was called to do and this was her passion.

* * *

As they managed to treat everyone who came through, McCoy finally retired to what was left of the CMO's office. He leaned against the counter, his head in his hands.

This was one of the roughest situations he'd ever been in. Even as a medical resident in Georgia, he'd never seen so much blood, this much loss. An entire planet was gone and its remaining inhabitants were his MedBay in a state of shock.

Could he keep doing this? Was he really prepared for space battle? Why did he let Jim talk him into staying in Starfleet?

Sarah said her final prayer over the last of the Vulcan elders and made her way to McCoy's office, or at least what was left of it.

She smiled at the nurses as she passed, thanking them for all they had done, patting the shoulders of crewmembers that refused to leave the sides of wounded friends.

McCoy was hunkered in the corner of the office, his head down. Sarah gently tapped on the doorframe so as to not startle him. He looked up. The cadet, who obviously had a way with people, was still here.

"What?" McCoy said gruffly, instantly regretting his harsh tone. She wasn't the cause of these problems. She had tried to be a part of the solution.

She merely smiled at him.

Sarah knew McCoy had to be exhausted so she took no offense to his manner.

"Sir, if you don't need me anymore, I'm going to return to my quarters," she said.

McCoy opened his mouth to respond, but his brain was so fried, he couldn't think of anything to say. He knew he should apologize, but instead nodded.

She quietly said goodbye and exited MedBay.

McCoy made his way to the bridge. Spock and Jim began a heated argument about which direction they should go. The next thing he witnessed was Spock felling Jim with a Vulcan sleeper hold and jetting him from the ship.

Incensed that things had gone from bad to worse, McCoy left the bridge only to be called back by the green-blooded hobgoblin. They exchanged words before McCoy stalked off.


	2. What Else Could Possibly Happen?

Sarah heard her door chime, rousing her from sleep. She rose and made her way to the door. To her surprise, on the other side stood McCoy. He looked like death warmed over and wore the most pathetic expression.

After verbally sparring with Spock, McCoy had returned to his quarters to change his smoky and bloodstained uniform and look up Sarah in the ship's records. He discovered he and the cadet had been in Academy together, even sitting in some of the same classes. That was why she looked so familiar.

He was fascinated that her background was similar to his — their fathers were Baptist ministers and their mothers were Southern belles. She had decided to follow her father's footsteps into the ministry. Her parents were both gone as his were.

For whatever reason, he felt compelled to go to her. It seemed his life was falling apart and his best friend was gone. At the very least, he owed her an apology.

McCoy stood there for a moment eying her. She was wearing a Starfleet regulation t-shirt and sleep pants and he had never seen anyone look better. She had obviously showered and gone straight to bed following her long shift in MedBay. Sarah looked at him expectantly.

"I wanted to apologize for my cross behavior earlier," McCoy heard himself say. "You didn't deserve that." She shook her head dismissively.

"You were under duress, Doctor. No faulting that," she replied.

"No excuse, nevertheless," he said.

Sarah did something she had never done before—she reached out her hand and took his to draw him inside. She then proceeded to guide him to her bedroom.

* * *

The Southern gentleman in McCoy told him he should back out of the room.

She was a chaplain. Wasn't there a law against being in her bedroom or something? Would he be struck down by lightning?

"Sarah," he weakly protested as she led him to her bed.

"Don't 'Sarah' me," she said. "You've experienced a traumatic event and I can tell you've not gotten any rest, Doctor. You need to rest or you're going to burn out."

Sarah helped him out of his blue uniform shirt, leaving the regulation undershirt, and his boots. He practically fell into bed, he was so tired. She crawled in next to him and pulled the covers over them.

As she curled against him, McCoy had to admit it was downright comforting. He was asleep almost instantly.

* * *

A couple of hours later his comm buzzed. Disoriented, McCoy woke up and looked around. He then remembered. He was in the cadet's bed. With her.

He was so going to hell.

The hint of a smile graced his features and he figured it was worth it. He had had the best sleep he had had in years since his wife divorced him.

McCoy fumbled for the comm and answered.

"McCoy here."

Lieutenant Nyota Uhura informed him Jim was back on the ship and he'd better get to the bridge fast.

He sat up, startling Sarah who was still curled against him. McCoy bit his tongue to refrain from cussing Jim out under his breath. He looked down at Sarah, who sleepily opened her eyes a fraction.

"I've got to run," he said by way of apology. She reached up, her fingertips gracing his cheek, and smiled.

Was there ever a time she didn't smile? he wondered.

"Be careful," she softly said.

McCoy fought the urge to stay with her, knowing he would need to run interference on the bridge where Jim was concerned. Instead, he leaned down and brushed her temple with his lips before leaving her to drift back to sleep in the warm spot he had vacated.

* * *

"Now we have no captain and no goddamn first officer!" McCoy groused as Jim smirked following Spock's self-resignation. Helmsman Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu pointed at Jim and informed the bridge Captain Pike had promoted him. Everyone gasped and McCoy tried not to roll his eyes. From cadet to captain in one swipe was quite a feat, even for a maverick like Jim.

What else could possibly happen on the Enterprise's maiden voyage?

* * *

Sarah heard Kirk, now acting captain, announce his plan over the ship-wide intercom to pursue the enemy. She slipped out of bed and began to prepare herself for another possible round of battle injuries. She made her way to MedBay for the second time in a 24-hour span.

She saw McCoy walk in; he gave her a slight smile, which caused her heart to flutter. Sarah was visiting with the nurses who were trying to get MedBay back in order as best as they could with all the damage it had sustained and the overwhelming strain of patients.

Sarah overheard McCoy's conversation with the bridge that Captain Pike was alive and Kirk was trying to bring him back aboard. McCoy dashed out the door, headed for the transporter room, with Sarah on his heels.

McCoy felt a sense of relief when he realized Sarah was at his back as they hurried down the hall. They met a wounded and wary Captain Pike at the transporter pad. Maybe things were looking up after all, McCoy thought.

"Glad to see you pulled through, sir," Sarah said as she aided McCoy in escorting the captain to MedBay.

"As am I, Chaplain. As am I," Captain Pike replied, attempting to smile through the pain. He could barely stay upright even with them on either side holding him up.

"Just relax, Captain," McCoy said, gently easing him onto the bio bed. Two of the nurses moved forward to treat him, allowing McCoy to step back with Sarah.

"About earlier," he whispered. Sarah turned to face him.

"What about it?" she asked, cocking her head to one side. "We didn't do anything wrong, Doctor. I was just tending to you as the Great Physician would have me do."

McCoy was speechless, staring down into what he now considered the face of an angel. What does a man say to that? Sarah grinned at him, lightly kissed him on the cheek and walked out.


	3. Inside Out

Back on Earth, McCoy found himself going out with Jim to one of the local bars, desperately wishing he were out with Sarah instead. Jim had insisted on celebrating his permanent promotion as the Enterprise's new captain.

McCoy was happy for his friend, he really was. But drinking didn't appeal to him much anymore and Jim's prowling was beginning to grate on his nerves. He had no interest in picking up strange women this time. Not that he had a habit of doing so during his Academy days; he had casually dated merely out of loneliness.

All he could think as he nursed a beer was Sarah outshined them all.

* * *

Sarah settled into her house outside of San Francisco, glad to be earthbound. As much as she found space exciting, it was nice to be on solid ground again. Thanks to her church back in Oklahoma who had supported her decision to join Starfleet, she had been connected with a couple in the area that had a small two-bedroom home they rented out to pastors on furlough.

Since the Enterprise was undergoing repairs and graduation was around the corner, it would be at least a couple of months before she'd be in the air again.

Enough time to revel in her home planet's beauty, she thought.

* * *

Captain Christopher Pike drifted in and out of consciousness. He could hear Dr. Leonard McCoy among the murmurings around him but couldn’t make out the other voices. They all soon faded away ...

The next time he came to, a female voice soothingly spoke over him. It sounded like a prayer of comfort. He managed enough strength to force his eyes open. Chaplain Sarah Randolph smiled at him and gently squeezed his hand. 

“It’s good to see you awake, sir,” she said. He attempted to muster a smile in return but winced instead. He shifted his eyes to glance around at his surroundings. The room was unfamiliar—he realized he was no longer in MedBay aboard the Enterprise.

“How long have I been out?” Pike croaked, his mouth dry. Sarah offered him a drink of water and he greedily sipped on the straw. 

“Two days and three nights, Captain,” she replied. He started to ask another question and she grinned, answering before he could.

“The Enterprise is undergoing repairs and will be as good as new in a month or two,” she said.

Pike gave her a half smile in return, this time a bit out of sadness. He knew he’d never pilot his own ship again. He also wondered if he’d ever walk on his own again.

As if Sarah could read his mind, she tenderly patted his arm in sympathy.

“On the bright side you will get to watch your ‘kids’ soar,” she said. “Many of them have been anxiously awaiting news of your recovery.”

“Are you harassing my patient, Sarah?” McCoy asked as he entered the room. 

Sarah shook her head and gave Pike another smile.

“I’ll be back to check on you later,” she told him before turning to face McCoy. They shared a look and her hand lingered on his arm before she exited.

“How are you feeling?” McCoy inquired as he began checking Pike’s vitals. 

“Like my insides have been turned outside,” Pike hoarsely said, closing his eyes.

McCoy’s expression softened as he set aside his tricorder.

“Would you like something for the pain, sir?” he gently asked.

Pike shook his head.

“What’s the prognosis?” Pike asked instead. McCoy internally groaned at the question but quickly schooled his features when Pike reopened his eyes to stare at him.

“We removed the slug but several nerve endings were severely damaged. You’ll require extensive physical therapy to regain use of your legs, but I believe, as does Sarah, that you will be able to fully walk again, Captain.”

Pike arched an eyebrow at him.

“You and Sarah,” he stated. McCoy uncomfortably tugged at the neckline of his uniform shirt.

“I, uh, the chaplain has been, uh …” McCoy fumbled for what to say, earning him a half smile from the man in the bed.

“At ease, McCoy,” Pike said. “I’m not going to cite regulation or stop you from seeing her.”

McCoy visibly relaxed.

* * *

Sarah was in her kitchen actually cooking—none of that processed or replicated food—when she realized someone was at the door.

She wiped her hands on her apron and headed to the living room. To her delight, she found McCoy standing on her front porch. They had crossed paths from time to time since they had departed the ship, but hadn’t really talked much other than to discuss patients and parishioners.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, sir?" she asked.

He entered the living room and growled at her. "Quit calling me sir! We're not on duty," he ordered. She laughed at him.

"Then what would you have me call you, Doctor?" she asked.

"Address me by any of my given names! Nicknames, even. Just quit calling me sir or doctor!" he gruffly replied, his frustration melting away as he stared down at her. He turned his head toward the kitchen.

"Is that meatloaf I smell? Honest-to-God home cooking?" he asked.

Sarah scooted toward the kitchen with him trailing behind.

"Yes, with mashed potatoes and green beans," she said, "and if you agree to do the dishes, I'll let you stay and have some." And for the first time since she had been around him, he smiled.

"You really know the way to a man's heart, or should I say, stomach," he said, reaching for a plate.


	4. Broken Old Men

As the days whizzed by, McCoy spent as much time with Sarah as their schedules would allow.

Finals were in three weeks, so he helped her study and sometimes he would bring food when he got off his shift at the clinic. When she would volunteer at the local homeless shelter, he would tag along.

More often than not, they would just relax at his place or hers and talk. She told stories about life with her parents in Oklahoma and he reminisced about his youth in Georgia.

Occasionally he would stretch out on her couch and she would curl up against him and nap. McCoy would not allow himself to do more than hold her. He wanted her. Bad. But she was a lady who deserved more than a tumble between the sheets.

* * *

One evening after dinner, McCoy paced around her living room.

"Len, what's on your mind?" Sarah asked, patting the seat next to her on the couch.

He usually seemed so self-assured, but this night he was obviously struggling with something. McCoy finally sat next to her and sighed. Sarah patiently waited.

"I was just thinking ... well," he said, shaking his head and looking away.

Sarah touched his arm and glanced back at her.

"You can talk to me, whatever is bothering you," she said, concerned. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"The truth is, Sarah," he said, a resigned look on his face, "I don't deserve you. There is no way of getting around it. I'm no saint and I've done things I ain't proud of. And you, well, you just deserve more than a broken old man like me."

Sarah sat there, her gaze on him unwavering as she cocked her head in a way that endeared her even more to him.

"So you're older than me. So you've made some mistakes. So you're more experienced than me," she said. He flinched at her last statement. "So what? Your past is just that—your past. I don't care about your age, either. I like you the way you are, Len."

With that, Sarah crawled into his lap, slipping her arms around his neck.

"I think you worry too much," she said before pressing her lips to his. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight, silently vowing to never let her go.

* * *

The day after graduation, the call went out the Enterprise would be operational and space bound by the end of the week.

Sarah decided she needed to clean the house since she would not be returning to it. This assignment could go as long as five years before they returned to Earth again. She was packing boxes and spot cleaning in the bedroom when she heard knocking on the front door.

McCoy stood there in civvies—a T-shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. She refrained from throwing herself at him; he was so handsome. She, on the other hand, had hair sticking out under a bandana and dirty overalls. He stood there with an unreadable expression.

"What's wrong, Len?" she asked.

McCoy was so nervous his stomach was rolling. After he heard they were getting called up, he had decided he didn't want to spend the next few years just working alongside Sarah. He wanted to wake up beside her every morning, to be in her life permanently.

He shut the door and then dropped to one knee in front of her. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth to cover it.

"Sarah Louise Randolph, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I know I don't have much to offer you, but ..." He was cut off by her dropping to her knees and covering his mouth with hers.

When they came up for air, he laid his forehead on hers and breathed, "I take that is a 'yes'?" Sarah nodded with tears in her eyes.

* * *

“Again,” Elisabeth “Libby” Lancaster commanded.

Pike gritted his teeth and gripped the poles before nearly flinging himself forward. Libby urged him to step towards her, her hands lightly resting on his waist, ready to spot him if he stumbled.

“You can do it, Christopher,” she encouraged. Between this and the painful leg stretches, he was seriously considering retiring to a cabin in northern Arizona sooner than later.

Libby had been working with him since McCoy had cleared him for physical therapy six weeks ago. She treated him like he treated his “kids”, pushing them to succeed and then pressing them to dig deeper and go beyond.

Pike wanted to hate her for it but he found himself loving her for it instead.

He tried to bite back a growl when his left hip began to throb with each step.

Libby’s hands tightened on his waist and she forced him to stop. She could see right through him and knew he was pushing himself too hard.

“Don’t overdo it,” she ordered. “There is good pain and there is bad pain. I know you know the difference.”

Pike sighed. Libby empathized. She knew he wanted to stand on his own at the change of command ceremony, but it wasn’t going to happen.

“You’ve made tremendous progress, Christopher, but Jim will understand that your legs aren’t ready yet,” Libby said as she helped Pike to his wheelchair.

He rolled his eyes as she straightened.

“I saw that, mister,” she said. “You may be an admiral now, but I’m not above restraining you in that chair to keep you from having a setback.”

Pike arched an eyebrow at her. Libby crossed her arms and set her chin.

“Are we interrupting?” Sarah quietly asked as she and McCoy walked into the rehab room holding hands.

Libby gave Pike the stink eye before she faced the couple and brightly smiled at them.

“Nope. Christopher is done for today,” she replied, once again refusing to use his title despite protocol. And as much as he wanted to admonish her for it, he secretly liked it.

McCoy and Sarah glanced at each other before approaching Pike.

“We were wondering, sir, if you would attend our wedding,” McCoy nervously asked.

Pike’s face lit up at the doctor’s request, and Libby let out a childlike squeal, demanding to see Sarah’s ring.

“Of course,” Pike said, extending his hand to shake McCoy’s. “Congratulations.”

* * *

Two days before they were to board the Enterprise, another chaplain wed them in a quiet, private ceremony. They had debated whether to invite fellow crewmembers, but in the end, they chose only to tell Admiral Pike.

Pike grinned the whole time like a proud father. He was immensely glad McCoy had found someone to soften his rough edges and wholeheartedly supported their marriage.

They sported simple gold bands, the only testament to their wedding. They planned on announcing the news once they were settled on the ship.

McCoy knew Jim would be pissed. It wasn't like they had deliberately hid their relationship, but McCoy had insisted on limiting public affection since he outranked her. Besides, Jim was always so caught up in himself that he didn't notice McCoy's subtle changes in behavior.

* * *

On their wedding day, McCoy carried his wife over the threshold of her house and with his foot kicked it closed. He released her legs, allowing her to slide down. Sarah kept her arms around his neck.

They slowly drifted to the bedroom, clothes dropping along the way. He gently deposited her on the bed, easing alongside her. They lay facing each other with noses nearly touching. Sarah shyly touched his bare chest as he caressed her hip.

“Sarah,” McCoy hoarsely asked, “have you … I mean …”

She blushed and shook her head.

“You’re my first,” she whispered.

McCoy had suspected as much. It made his heart swell with pride that no man had touched her. At the same time, it terrified him and it also made him feel a little guilty. Neither him nor his ex-wife had been a virgin when they met nor had he been celibate since. He didn’t believe in sleeping around but there were times he had needed a stress reliever.

“And birth control?” McCoy hesitantly asked. He knew they should have talked about this before now. In fact, they hadn’t broached the subject of kids either. He obviously hadn’t thought this through.

Sarah smiled at him and assured him they were fine.

“I went on the pill long before we met,” she said. “I figured it would be a good idea to regulate my system before I got into space.”

“You are amazing, did you know that?” he said, pulling her close. “I promise to do my best to make you happy, Sarah.”

She sighed when her lips met his.

* * *

Libby stood behind Pike’s wheelchair as Jim Kirk took command of the Enterprise, and she helped him stand at attention as they watched the Enterprise’s crew board the shuttles for their first official mission.

* * *

Jim didn't even notice McCoy's wedding ring until Uhura pointed it out as the ship leapt into warp.

"Congratulations, Doctor!" she exclaimed, spotting it while he was on the bridge.

"Congratulations for what?" Jim asked, looking at his friend. McCoy tugged at his uniform's neckline and sheepishly grinned.

"I got married," he said. The whole bridge erupted as they pressed forward to clap him on the back or shake his hand. Jim stood there, his mouth gaping.

"You should have seen him," McCoy commented to his wife later. "Jim was dumbfounded. That is the first time I've ever seen that."

Sarah smiled, her eyes twinkling.

"Did he recover?" she asked.

"Yeah, he finally snapped out of it and then it became a full on interrogation so I excused myself from the bridge, claiming I needed to return to MedBay," McCoy said, unable to stifle a laugh. Sarah was glad to hear her husband laugh; he did it so rarely.

* * *

They were sound asleep, his arm tight around her, face buried in her neck, when his comm buzzed.

"Bones, where are you?! We are supposed to transport down to Capellean," said an obviously irritated Captain Jim Kirk. McCoy growled, unwilling to leave the warmth of his wife's body. Sarah deliberately pushed him out of bed, knowing duty called.


End file.
